Green Decade:  November 2008 E-bulletin
This Green Decade message has been sent by the Green Decade Coalition/Newton to members and friends to update you on current events, environmental opportunities, and issues.

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1.    Nov. 1 - Insulating Your Older Home Workshop

2.    Nov. 20 - �Cash in the Trash� Public Forum

3.    Nov. 22 & 23 - Urban Ark Seminar & Tour

4.    Nov. 22 - EnviroJAM, Newton North High School

5.    Nov. 23 - Green Fair & Trade Show at Temple Beth Avodah

6.    EcoTeams for Fall 2008

7.    November Environment Show: "Zero Waste" with Lynne Pledger, Sierra Club

8.    Committee Meetings: November

9.    Upcoming Events: Dec. 1,  "A Network of Greenways for Newton" with Peter Furth

10.    Join GDC Now for 2009!

11.    Other Environmental Events:
Newton Angino Community Farm, Newton Conservators Fall Walks; Terrene of Newton; Concert �Saving the World One Bird at a Time�; Mass Public Health Association Meeting and Expo; Forum on Responding to Climate Change (Concord); MCAN 2008 Climate Action Conference; Charles River Watershed Association

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1.  INSULATING YOUR OLDER HOME    THIS WEEKEND!

Saturday, November 1, 1:00 - 4:00 PM
$30; $15 for Newton Historical Society & Green Decade members
The Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead
Paul Eldrenkamp, Instructor

Insulating your home properly is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to minimize your energy waste and maximize your energy dollars. And despite what you may have heard, it is possible to weatherize your older home without compromising its historical character. This workshop will include hands-on demonstration of various energy-saving tools, such as blower doors and infrared cameras. We'll also take an objective look at the different products and techniques for increasing energy efficiency. Learn how you can stay warm this winter, save money, and reduce your ecological footprint at the same time.

The workshop will be held at the Newton History Museum at the Jackson Homestead  (527 Washington St., Newton); proceeds will go to the Green Decade Coalition and the Newton Historical Society.  For more information or to register on-line, contact the Green Decade at 617-965-1995 or greendecade.org/events. For more information call 617-965 1995 or email contact@greendecade.org.

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2.  �CASH IN THE TRASH� Forum on Reducing Solid Waste and Increasing Recycling and Savings
Thursday, Nov. 20, 7:00 pm
Newton Free Library, Druker Auditorium
330 Homer Street, Newton, MA 02459
Free to the public
Presented by the League of Women Voters of Newton


Why do Newton citizens throw away $5M per year?  How can we avoid this waste?
�Cash in the Trash� will explore this issue and help Newton citizens understand how to reduce the production of solid waste and save the city money.  Speakers include:

�    Brooke Nashe, Branch Chief, Municipal Waste Reduction, Mass. Dept. of Environmental Protection
�    Tom Daley, Newton�s new Commissioner of the Department of Public Works
�    Brooke Lipsitt, former president of the Board of Aldermen, who will moderate the Q & A period at the end of the evening.

Organized by the Environmental Issues Committee of the League of Women Voters of Newton, this forum is also sponsored by the Newton-Needham Chamber of Commerce, the Green Decade, the Newton TAB, Newton Solid Waste Commission, Newton For Fiscal Responsibility (NFFR) and the Newton Free Library.
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3.  URBAN ARK SEMINAR & TOUR: A MODEL OF GREEN LIVING
Saturday November 22, 10:00 am-12:00 pm
Sunday November 23, 1:00-3:00 pm

$20; $15 for Students & Green Decade members
David & Elva Del Porto, Instructors

Join David and Elva Del Porto, to learn how they have transformed their Newton Centre home into a model of sustainable design. Tour their �Urban Ark� and discover how they've integrated space heat, food production, air purification, and wastewater treatment within an amazing two-story solar greenhouse. They'll share their  successes and failures, and show you how to invest your time and money to get the most benefit from the least effort. With rising fuel and water prices and dwindling resources, there's no time like the present to learn methods that can provide environmental and economic security for you and your family. Directions to the meeting point will be provided to registrants; proceeds will go to The Green Decade Coalition.

To register or for more information contact Urban Ark coordinator Fran Seasholes at 617-969-5927.
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4.  ENVIROJAM - CONCERT FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

Rock to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint!
Saturday, Nov. 22, 7:30 pm
Newton North High School, Little Theater
360 Lowell Ave., Newton MA 02460
617-559-6400

EnviroJAM is a musical event sponsored by the Environmental Club of Newton North High School, featuring acts by students and teachers. All proceeds will be donated to an environmental organization. Donations from the January 2008 concert and matching contributions from Mass Energy and
others raised over $5,000 for solar panels on Newton schools. The Green Decade will be there with information, representatives and possibly the Magic Energy Bike.  This event is CARBON NEUTRAL -- check the GDC's Upcoming Events page for ticket price and to download the poster soon!

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5.  GREEN FAIR AND TRADE SHOW

Sunday, Nov. 23  10:00 am-1:00 pm
Temple Beth Avodah
45 Puddingstone Lane, Newton Centre
(617) 527-0045

Join the Green Decade and 20 other non-profits and vendors of green products and services at this �going green� event!  Come to shop, nosh and play -- enjoy local and organic food and kids activities, and a free raffle every 30 minutes!  More information:  contact Rachel White or visit www.bethavodah.org/com_greencommittee.shtml

Download the colorful flyer (pdf) from GDC's Upcoming Events to post and share with friends!

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6.   ECOTEAMS FOR FALL 2008

The  Fall EcoTeams are beginning and welcome additional new members through November. Household EcoTeams help participants to reduce their energy use, garbage, water use, and toxic products. In the process, team members save money on their utility bills. Teams of 5 to 8 meet seven times, about every three weeks, and are guided by a Global Action Plan  workbook and a coach.  Join online or contact EcoTeam coordinator Jennifer Kaplan at jkaplan12@rcn.com for more information. Also visit the EcoTeams page on our website.

Coaches are also needed for additional 2008-09 EcoTeams!   If you have participated in an EcoTeam and would like to coach, please contact Eco-team Coordinator Jen Kaplan at
jkaplan12@rcn.com or 617-795-2822.

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7.  NOVEMBER ENVIRONMENT SHOW: "ZERO WASTE" WITH LYNNE PLEDGER

Through November
Host:  Beverly Droz, Green Decade
Guest:  Lynne Pledger, Sierra Club Zero Waste Committee
 
Extraction, manufacturing, marketing, and finally disposal by incineration or land-filling:  how long can this linear system continue without having us all buried in garbage, drinking contaminated water, and breathing toxic air?  Another system, the closed-loop system also called Zero Waste, is possible and well on its way to full implementation in several US cities.

This program will be aired as Newton is considering a new trash hauling contract and the state a new solid waste policy, one that could include a repeal of the present moratorium on new incinerator construction.  More information on this program is available at the Environment Show on our website.

The Environment Show is broadcast on the NewTV Blue channel (Comcast Chan. 10, RCN Chan. 15, Verizon Chan. 34):
Mondays      3:00 p.m.
Tuesdays      1:30 a.m. and 11:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: 11:30 a.m.
Thursdays:    12:00, 4:00 and 7:30 p.m.
Saturdays:    10:00 a.m.

Videos of previous Environment Show programs are now available for viewing online at the GDC website.  This monthly show is produced alternatively by the Green Decade and the Newton Conservators.

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8.  COMMITTEE MEETINGS: NOVEMBER

High Performance Buildings Coalition:  Thursday, Nov. 6, 8 am, City Hall, Room 222. 

Energy Committee:  Tuesday, Nov. 11, 7:30 pm.  Contact Katherine Gekas.

School Outreach: Monday, Nov. 17,  7 pm.  Contact Bob Warren or Meg Wilcox, (617) 795-0028 or schooloutreach@greendecade.org.

Organic Gardening & Landscaping Committee: Thursday, Nov. 6,  7 pm. Contact Sunwoo Kahng at 617-332-1882 or organicgarden@greendecade.org.

Students for a Greener World:  Monday, Nov. 17, 5:30-6:30 pm. For middle school and high school students -- contact Margaret Ford at 617-964-0606 or mford@greendecade.org.

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9.  UPCOMING EVENTS (DECEMBER)

"A NETWORK OF GREENWAYS FOR BOSTON" WITH PETER FURTH
Monday, Dec. 1, 7:00 pm
Newton Free Library, Druker Auditorium
330 Homer Street, Newton, MA 02459
Free to the public
Co-sponsored by GDC�s Bike Newton, the Bicycle Pedestrian Task Force and the Newton Free Library

Guest speaker Peter G. Furth, Ph.D., is a Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Northeastern University, and a member of the Brookline Transportation Board and its Bicycle Advisory Committee. 

Many people would like to bicycle more for work and for pleasure, but are hindered by the lack of safe, traffic-free routes to ride along. Boston has some lovely greenways along rivers, the sea, and rail corridors, and with the addition of some key links, Boston�s greenways will form a network that will connect six times as many origin-destination pairs as the current set of greenways. This would multiply the potential for utilitarian cycling and making Boston a world-class hub for recreational cycling. Connections to be highlighted include �HarborRide� linking the Charlestown Bridge to Fort Point Channel; several missing links along the Emerald Necklace, including paths along the Arborway, crosstown links between the Fens and the South Boston and Dorchester beaches, and other areas.

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10.  JOIN THE GREEN DECADE NOW FOR 2009

Join the Green Decade now for 2009 and get the rest of 2008 included for free! Become a GDC member for as little as $25 for an individual/family membership, $50 for a business membership or for students, only $10 for the year!  

Join or renew on-line and pay by credit card or visit our Membership page to download the membership form and mail with your check made out to GDC/N, to PO Box 590242, Newton, MA 02466.  Membership forms are also available in each issue of the Green News. For more information, contact 617-965-1995 or e-mail membership@greendecade.org.

As always, members receive discounts at GDC events and sponsoring businesses, plus the Green News newsletter, published 6 times each year and mailed to our members.  If you prefer to receive the Green News on-line, you will help save paper and postage costs. E-mail us at contact@greendecade.org and be sure to include your name and e-mail, along with Green News Online in the subject line.

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11.  OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS

NEWTON ANGINO COMMUNITY FARM
Wednesday, November 5 at 6:30 pm
Lumi�re Restaurant
1293 Washington Street, West Newton

Celebrate the end of the 2008 growing season with a four-course dinner with wine pairings. The dinner will feature produce from the farm as well as local meats and seafood. Vegetarian options are available for each course. Proceeds from the dinner support our educational programs, outreach programs, and site improvements. Tickets are $150 per person. "Patron" tickets may be purchased for $500 (for two seats) and "Sponsor" tickets may be purchased for $1,000 (for four seats).

Please reserve your seats by emailing Jon Regosin (phone 617-244-0736) or by sending payment (made out to Newton Community Farm) to Jon Regosin, 32 Garland Road, Newton, MA 02459.

NEWTON CONSERVATORS FALL WALKS SERIES 2008
Each Spring and Fall, the Newton Conservators organizes a series of walks to local open space areas. These walks are led by knowlegeable leadersand are open to the public. They normally last for an hour or two.

Sunday, November 9  2:00 pm Newton Aqueducts Hike
Sunday, November 23 2:00 pm Cutler/Millennium Park Hike

TERRENE OF NEWTON
275D Centre Street Newton, MA (in Centre Plaza)
Thursday November 6, 2008
Ribbon cutting ceremony: 4:00 pm, refreshments all day

Terrene of Newton�s owner, Bob LaFond has personally invited all Green Decade members and friends to the VIP Grand Opening of Newton�s first Sustainable Building Supply Showroom. Their goal is to provide the highest-quality green building materials to meet the needs of any homeowner, builder, architect or designer. Experience first-hand how easy, affordable, and beautiful it can be to go green or visit Terrene�s website: www.terrenellc.com.

CONCERT: Saving the World One Bird at a Time: A Program of Classical Music and Poetry
Barbara Poeschl-Edrich, Harp and Ray Brown, Voice Narration
Sunday, November 2, 2:00 pm
Newton Free Library
330 Homer Street, Newton, MA 02459
Free to the public

The intriguing presentation utilizes music, poetry, and prose to evoke a spirit of conservation and love of nature. Performed by harpist Barbara Poeschl-Edrich and narrator Ray Brown of WGBH, the afternoon will feature music of J.S. Bach, Benjamin Britten, and contemporary local composers Martin Amlin and Christopher Staknys. The narration will include writings of John Keats, Robert Frost, Ogden Nash and Ray Brown. More information:  www.newtonfreelibrary.net

FOOD, FUEL AND THE FUTURE: SUSTAINABLE STRATEGIES FOR HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Friday, November 7, 
8:00 am - 2:15 pm
Massachusetts Public Health Association
2008 Annual Meeting and Expo
Royal Plaza Hotel, Marlborough, MA

Registration is required; information on fees and more: Massachusetts Public Health Association at
mphaweb.org.   Questions, please contact Kara Keenan: kkeenan@mphaweb.org; 617-524-6696, ext. 113.

PUBLIC FORUM: RESPONDING TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Wednesday, November 12 at 7:30 pm
Alcott School Auditorium, 92 Laurel St.
Concord, MA

Retiring State Senator Pam Resor and other distinguished guests will speak on this important topic. Discussion on how to keep the climate change and environmental action movements alive during these times of economic challenge is critical and this event offers an opportunity to find the solutions.  For more information, visit the League of Women Voters of Concord-Carlisle website or contact Green_Initiatives@lwvcc.com.

MCAN 2008 CLIMATE ACTION CONFERENCE:  THE POWER OF ONE, THE POWER OF ALL
Sunday, November 16,  9:00 am-5:00 pm
Stata Center, MIT
32 Vassar St. Cambridge, MA

Featured presentation:  �Cool Mass-A Community-Based Strategy for Reducing the State's Carbon Footprint One Household at a Time, with David Gershon: CEO of Empowerment Institute and author of Low Carbon Diet: A 30 Day Program to Lose 5,000 Pounds, winner of the Independent Publisher "Most Likely to Save the Planet" book award.

Over a dozen workshops on different topics are offered. Special pricing through October 31 --  for more information or to register on-line , visit MCAN's website
massclimateaction.net or call 617-515-0600.

CHARLES RIVER WATERSHED ASSOCIATION
Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner
Wednesday, November 19, 5:30pm
Newton Marriott Hotel

Join CRWA�s celebration to honor awardees who have helped restore the river, and celebrate their accomplishments at the local and regional levels in science, policy and urban restoration.

Featured speaker: Dr. Sarah Slaughter of MIT, who will give insight into how engineering innovations can change the way cities conserve vital water resources and withstand disasters. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.charlesriver.org  or contact Leigh at 781-788-0007 x231 or lheffernan@crwa.org.

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© 2008 Green Decade Coalition Newton